A Silver Ribbon
by Kon Gyousano
Summary: Perfection. The one thing every being in the universe strives for, paradise and a perfect civilization. The silver millennium, the picture of perfection. What lies beneath the surface of this fascade of total nonsuffering perfection?
1. It Begins

Disclaimer:: I do not, and probably never will own any part of sailor moon. Naoko Takeuchi, Dic, Kodansha, Mixx exe. Have the patents to it. Maybe in a wild dream I might, but I don't pride myself on my crazy dreams. I will not be posting more disclaimers in coming chapters, so if you don't see this one and read it, it is NOT my fault. I'm sorry if you've read one too many disclaimers and mistakenly skip over this one and blame me for it, but I did write it. *nods* Anyway, I most likely will not be rewriting this for coming chapters, so please heed this one as you one and only disclaimer.  
  
AN:: Hi Everyone! You all know how much I love sailor moon by now, so don't ever question me.*grins* Getting back on subject, this is chapter one of SR, so please have fun reading it. I'm NOT a pro author, but I try to come up with the best I can. Producing garbage is bad habit for anyone, but it's not acceptable for an author. *sighs* I would love to be the perfect writer and have all the time in the world to write anything I wanted. If you finish this chapter and like it, review it! If you finish this chapter and don't like it, review it! Okay, I know that sounded really unprofessional, but if you like this story at all, please review it. I love reviews; they are what keep me going, thus, if I receive no reviews then I will have no inspiration to keep writing. That would be awful wouldn't it? If you have any idea what it's like to write six or seven pages of a story for unresponsive readers, then you know what it's like.  
  
Recently I have been surrounded with work. I have school work beyond insane amounts, more chores then ever, and my friends find this spring/summer time the perfect opportunity to invite me over. Not that it is a bad thing to have friends that like having you over and all, but it does cut down on my writing time. My site is being moved also, piling even MORE work on me. *smiles* But, because I have fourteen semi-nice or exceedingly nice reviews so far, I will continue with the story now.  
  
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1 "Unjust Seduction :: Awakening Relations"  
  
2 By: Kon Gyousano  
  
  
  
  
  
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Deep in space was an endless void; Beryl had come to love this nothingness. This feeling of emptiness and nonchalant. She sat on her throne gazing into her small black orb. Her long red nailed fingers hovered inches above the darkened sphere. A small image of a young handsome boy appeared inside the ball. A shadowed gas like spirit rose behind the queen. It loomed overhead gazing into the swirling depths.  
  
"Soon." It whispered before vanishing once again into the bottomless abyss of space. The fiery haired woman smirked. This would be more fun then she had thought.  
  
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Serenity touched her forehead wearily. She hated these balls, there were so boring. They were always the same, her mother would send for a bunch of princes to come to the kingdom, and then she would tell them all that Serenity was looking for a suitor and they would all try to win her over. At first it was kind of fun, dancing with someone and then being swept away by someone else. But after a few dances even at the first ball it got tiring. All those phony "I love you" s were getting very old now. She was also angered by the fact that her mother seemed fixated with trying to make her marry Prince Phillip of earth.  
  
With the war raging and everything chaotic that was happening recently, they were trying to get her to find a man who was worthy of her. The reason her mother wanted to make her love Phillip was because of the war. Phillip was the earth's top warrior, but that was not all that sparked her mother's mind. The main purpose for wanting her daughter to marry Prince Phillip was because the earth and moon relationship had been broken off recently. Queen Serenity had desperately tried to patch it together to no avail, and her last hope was making Serenity marry an earth prince.  
  
Phillip's little brother Endymion was second in command of the war on earth even though he was only 14. Phillip was six years older then Serenity and by the time she was forced to marry, he would be twenty. Serenity herself was only 11. She knew her mother would not force her to marry until she was fourteen, but she still found herself wrapped in a spiders web, where the spider kept telling her that Phillip was the right one for her. He was kind, and handsome. But he just didn't make her feel special. It was like a shadow of her existed when she was with him; a hollow shell of a princess. She could never make him smile, and she could never make him laugh. He would always do so on his own accord. That was what she hated most. He was just too perfect. Everyone else would smile when Serenity did, and laugh or giggle when she did. Nobody had ever been so plain like that. It just was too impassive for her. Even if he was sometimes kind to her; it was not enough to make her see him loving her. He had never even told her he loved her; and if that didn't take the winners bow for emotionless men, then nothing did.  
  
Every day she would try to fake illness and try to make herself injured just before the balls started. It never helped. These parties her mother so loved drove her insane. Mother like daughter was not her case. This was around her tenth, and she still despised them. She liked her training, practicing fighting with her best friends; even though she always lost or got hurt, and even her studies were more interesting to her then this. Reading various books on creatures and places made her imagination soar. This ball was different though, for some unknown reason, this ball seemed special. She had a gut feeling something was going to happen, weather for the better of the worse.  
  
Right now she was holding hands with a blond prince who she had been forced to dance with every single time. Prince Phillip. It was painfully clear that her mother was going to force her to wed with or without her say in it, but she was going to fight it until that dreadful day came.  
  
"Excuse me Prince Phillip, but may I please go fetch a refreshment and speak with my mother? I think I might turn in for the night"  
  
She excused herself quickly before he could argue or come up with a reason for her to stay; and went to her throne to sit and rest for a while. Her mother, Queen Serenity sat beside her, watching the guests. She was very glad to be away from that perfect prince. Nothing ever astounded him. You could have given him the universe to control and he wouldn't care.  
  
"Oh these things are always the same. Why do I have to get married? I'm not even old enough to yet!" Serenity questioned her mother. She sighed, knowing what the response would be. She fiddled with her pure white gown's bow as she waited for the answer.  
  
"You have to learn to love Phillip because during this war the earth and moon need to be pulled together before evil forces pull them apart" The queen's calm voice almost infuriated the princess. How could she be so calm when she was putting her daughter through such a life? "What is bothering you Serenity, you cresent is flickering."  
  
"Nothing," Serenity lied through her teeth. She could smell roses. Someone special was here. She looked around but saw nothing. Wait, it wafted towards her again, no, just her mind playing tricks on her. She got up and returned to the dance floor. She took the hand of the closest man a started dancing again. There it was again, the smell of fresh roses. She had never smelled such a sweet aroma fully before. However, Zoicite and Nephrite had been seen sneaking into Sailor Mercury and Jupiter's room, each slightly scented to it. Her guardians were all older then her, each by at least a year. And they weren't being put through such a terrible ordeal to get married to chosen suitors.  
  
There it was again, a sweet scent of flowers. Someone had to be here. Someone important. She went up to the thrones and looked around before sitting down again. Something was going to happen very soon, she could feel it in her very being. She had felt this presence before, but she had never met its holder. It was a very annoying; knowing that the one person you might have a chance with wouldn't show themselves. She knew from Phillip that he had a brother who always in Phillip's words "smelled too strongly of flowers." Her mother had told her that Phillip's little brother was like a tiny copy of Phillip himself. Serenity hadn't believed her.  
  
Letting go of the man she was dancing with's hand, she stepped back up to her throne. She sighed in exasperation as she lifted her head and watched like her mother at the faceless princes parading around the room, some holding the hands of the Sailor Senshi, others servants. Serenity spotted Venus quietly talking in the corner of the room with Kunzite, and Mercury was tangoing with Zoicite. In the other corner sat her quiet sister Amber, surrounded by men wanting to dance with her. She was shaking her head at all of them, making her bright silver hair flash in the bright lighting. Poor amber, too quiet for her own good. She was the one who loved Prince Phillip. She had been watching him since he arrived with starry eyes. The green-eyed princess had always been jealous of Serenity for being able to dance with him so much.  
  
"Mother, when am I going to meet the royal family of the earth?" Serenity brushed back her long blond hair and continued to stare emotionlessly at the ball. She loved meeting new people, but only if they were nice to her.  
  
"When the earth agrees to communicate with us. Besides, you've already been granted the great honor of meeting Prince Phillip. It took me a long time to convince his father he would be safe to come here for a while." The queen's cresent symbol flashed worriedly. Serenity dared not to question the flinch, her mother wouldn't tell her anything even if she did. She spotted Jedite and Mars sneaking out onto the balcony. She mentally snickered as she watched them vanish into the dark night. She stood uncertainly and went out of the ballroom and onto the second balcony so she wouldn't disturb Mars. She turned to close the door and carefully looked at her reflection in the doorknob. Her beautiful young face stared back at her. Then there was small movement behind her.  
  
She spun around and found herself nose to nose with a handsome young man. She stumbled backward into the door and gasped. He had deep blue eyes and a well-built body. He was the one whose smell was of fragrant roses. In his tuxedo pocket was a fresh red rose, and an aura of mystery surrounded him. She looked him over with interest then questioned, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"  
  
"I am Prince Endymion and I am here to dance at the ball. Hopefully with the princess if I get lucky." His lips curved upward in a warm smile. So he was the prince of the earth kingdom. He was by far the handsomest, and his eyes reflected kindness. She had heard about him, he was the second son of the royal family. The late queen and her living husband King Emert, the rulers of the beautiful star planet. She had never really met them, but she had heard that Queen Gia was a king-spirited ruler until her death, while King Emert was getting on his years.  
  
"Do you know who you're talking to?" the blue eyed princess asked humor evident in her bell-like voice. She grinned mischievously and she watched his reaction. He smiled softly back and asked who she was.  
  
Serenity curtsied and smiled in pleasure and introduced herself. "I am Princess Serenity, future ruler of the Silver Millennium." She grinned, happy with herself.  
  
He was better looking then she had seen before. He was tall, and only a few years older then her. He was going to be very handsome when he grew up. Her smile thickened as she looked into his navy blue eyes. They were just like earth, blue and beautiful. To her surprise, he got on one knee and took her hand, which he lightly kissed. As soon as he took her hand she felt a sort of shock. She shuddered and asked what that was.  
  
"You felt that?" He looked at her with curious eyes.  
  
"Yes, why did you shock me." She giggled lightly and looked at him.  
  
"It's a gift I have. I can feel how people's emotions are by touching them. Nobody but you has ever felt it though. You must be very sensitive." He grinned warmly.  
  
"So how am I feeling?" She smiled at him childishly.  
  
"Bored, tired, and right now, embarrassed." He smiled.  
  
Serenity could feel the heat rising to her face. She swiftly looked downward avoiding his piercing gaze. She quickly pulled her hand away so he wouldn't be able to tell how she was feeling at the moment any more.  
  
"So, will you dance with me?" He extended his hand hopefully. She looked at him, seeing if he was trustworthy. "No more feeling." She stated promptly.  
  
"Okay, fair enough." She accepted his hand playfully and re-entered the ballroom. Her face was brighter now, more vibrant that she was actually dancing for someone and not just to please her mother. "Why are you here, it is forbidden for those of the earth to come to the moon right now." Her own cerulean eyes flickered wisely.  
  
"I told you, I'm here to dance with the princess." He returned her gaze. The moon symbol on Serenity's forehead twinkled merrily as they danced around the room. It seemed like time had stopped just for a minute, and they were dancing for eternity. But then the flow returned to normal as two guards came through the door, both suited in shiny armor and looking around for people of the earth.  
  
Serenity knew what they were doing; they had been patrolling the castle for many days now, searching everywhere for anyone with earth heritage, other then Phillip. "Quickly, hide." Endymion was ahead of her though. He was already neatly concealed behind a tall marble pillar.  
  
The dull 'clank' of metal became louder as the soldiers approached the corner she was in. She leaned against the pillar and adopted an innocent look, staring aimlessly around the room. The guards looked her direction and she grinned like a child as she looked around the dance floor. They shook their heads and continued.  
  
Serenity pulled Endymion out from behind the pillar and informed him of what had happened. He grinned dangerously and told her she better not go near him, because they were looking for him. She informed him she would not run and hide from the law. They once again scurried out of the dance floor and out into the moonlight balcony.  
  
Endymion looked down at the princess. She was so cute right now; she would surely grow up to be a beautiful young lady. He smiled daringly as he looked down at her. Her bright eyes lit up her entire body. The cresent symbol on her forehead had gone from a dim frightened glow to a shining glow. Serenity's long hair only reached her back at the time, but given a few years it could easily reach her mother's length. She had pale skin, but rosy pink cheeks, which enhanced her sweet face. He bent down and kissed her cheek. Princess Serenity couldn't believe it; she was blushing to the extreme. As the crimson rushed to her face, she felt it as the warm lips left her cheek. She looked up at him; she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. It was his turn to blush then. She had very soft kisses. Serenity's kiss was almost just a teasing brush across your skin. They both looked at each other a through understanding about what was going on vibrating off each of them. He once again took her hand and kissed it before jumping over the railing and vanishing. She stared after where he had departed with starry eyes.  
  
She had found someone she definitely had her eyes out for, but she could not tell anyone, he was from earth. She couldn't lie to her friends, maybe her mother, but only from extreme practice. But her best friends would know she was lying, so she decided to keep they're meeting a secret. Her still flushed cheeks were still dark red, and her cresent symbol was still shining. She was not going to be able to sleep that night.  
  
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The piercing red eyes glared at the fragile princess with hate. Her long young fingers were still in and unceasing movement above the orb. She would get her revenge. She would make Princess Serenity pay for stealing the heart of Endymion. No one but herself deserved a person like him. Daring, bold, adventurous, forgiving, gorgeous and brilliant. She listed them in her mind. No one had been through the great ordeal she had to get to him.  
  
"Stupid princess," she mocked the girl's light voice for a while, before returning to her own snarling venom-dripping voice. "You will pay the price for your indignity." She cackled as the darkness covered herself and the sphere in front of her.  
  
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Serenity looked around. Where was he? He was an hour late. Her excitement was the only thing containing her anger. Smiling as she envisioned herself with him…but that would never be. Amber was now engaged, along with herself. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair. She loved Endymion and Amber loved Phillip. Why couldn't their parents see that! She sighed as the wind blew her hair into her face. It had been a year since that first ball, and her secret escapades to dance wit him had sometimes gotten her a lecture and other times she had come up with believable excuses before her mother found her.  
  
She had planned this meeting for the longest time. A first date with Endymion! Of course she couldn't call it a date, because it was strictly against the law for the moon and earth to come into close contact unless they were engaged or royalty. Too many laws were the only explanation her mind could come up with. So this was just a meeting between friends, but on the upside, it was finally not against the moon's law. They had a topic to actually discuss; the future allegiance of the moon and earth. She smiled happily; this was one of her favorite places on the moon.  
  
Mysterious waves clouded with shadows brushed up against an amber shore. It was nearly sundown, and the light was casting an eerie glow over the horizon. She could feel the fine sand beneath her bare feet as she gazed at the beautiful view in front of her. It was mild weather recently, sometimes soft and gentle but mostly horrendous and dangerous. Of course Jupiter was having the time of her life, along with Nephrite, both totally taking advantage of the weather. She pictured them getting engaged, it would be so perfect.  
  
A deep voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Lovely isn't it." She grinned widely, and whirled around, the wind giving her hair the effect she had wanted. His eyes were warm and she completely forgot that he was at all late.  
  
"Endy," She realized that she was supposed to be mad at him and made a pout face. "You're late." She made sure her eyes showed that she didn't really care fully. Smiling again she hugged him, and swept her lips over his cheek. He smiled, knowing that if anyone saw her do anything more then hug him they could both be lynched since both of them were betrothed. Even under the fair rule of Queen Serenity, the harsh rule of the earth's elder kings was still dominant.  
  
"I'm very sorry to disappoint you my princess." His voice was barely audible, as he bowed before her.  
  
She giggled lightly, and curtsied towards the younger prince of earth. "I trust you have a wonderful excuse to please me for being late?" She had to let her lips curve up; he always was late and always had a believable excuse.  
  
"Why yes, actually. Before I could teleport here from earth, I had to do a little shopping…" He trailed off and reached behind him. She hadn't noticed it before, but he held a bouquet of the deepest red roses she had ever seen. She squealed in surprise as he presented the flowers to her. Beaming, she accepted the plants and held them up to her face.  
  
He couldn't help but think of her as beautiful. With the setting sun casting a pale orange light through the oxygen barrier of the moon, it made her hair seem to dance and sparkle in the breeze. Her eyes were shimmering as usual and the way she tilted her head back to smell the fragrance of the roses made him want to hold her and kiss her until he WAS hung. But he would die to protect her from any form of harm, so he restrained himself. Grinning at her natural beauty, he watched as she sat down on the golden grains of sand. Her light pink skirt fanned out around her, and her golden hair cascaded out around her. She set the flowers down carefully and moved her large blue orbs to look up at him.  
  
"You are forgiven." She smiled, watching his handsome grin widen.  
  
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Deep in the timeless depths of the Negaverse, a young woman sat. Her sadistic glittering eyes were focused onto one round swirling black sphere hovering in front of her, surrounded by a pointed thorny holder. Her face was twisted into deep concentration, and a figure appeared next to her. Their hair was black, and their eyes glistened in the darkness. Beryl acknowledged the figure with a nod of her head as she continued to meditate. Metalia looked down at her pupil with disgust. Beryl could be such a witch when she wanted to. Still, she had the power to control the crystal ball, a rare quality and it was an important one she needed. Beryl gazed enviously as the image of the princess and prince appeared in her orb. She cursed inwardly; the prince was smiling at that princess. That stupid little brat who had started to steal his heart, well she would get even. Everything serenity had would be hers, starting with Endymion. Then she would move on and capture the moon kingdom, and then the universe! Metalia read her student's thoughts and her pale black lips curved upwards in an evil smirk. Beryl was so easily swayed…she would be a very valuable warrior.  
  
Metalia decided she was not needed here at the moment and teleported out and into another dark Negaverse room. In this room sat a man with long wavy black hair and glowing red eyes. His skin was clammy from lack of light and his face looked like he had never genuinely smiled. When his master came into his room, he bowed and gave her a sadistic sneering grin. The evil spirit of a demon looked down on her underling. Onyx would also be an important pawn. His power to control the shadow Realm would be very interesting. Here he was, lazily lounging in his own created darkness.  
  
This was rather infuriating, knowing that he could be out killing but yet he sat here like a fool. Had her teachings done nothing? Instantly she knew what he was doing, he was channeling his powers. He was trying to hack into the gates of time and prepare himself for the future, another wonderful trait. Her eyes glittered maliciously. She waited for a few moments, and then decided his mind was blank enough now that he wasn't trying to get in anymore. She sneered when his mind changed from deep concentration to disappointment. Knowing he had failed she let her anger rise into raw rage.  
  
"Go train." She spat, baring her fangs at him. He looked up at her hiding his fear and rushed out of the room in a puff of smoke. She smiled evilly, now back to Beryl. She teleported into Beryl's room where the woman was still gazing into the globe her eyes glazed over and her teeth formed a complete snarl. Metalia would have compared her to a dog, but squashed the thought before it came, making sure that Beryl's orb would not give her access to such ammunition. Still being a fairly bad mood, she decided to take it out on her pupil.  
  
"Where did your respect for you teacher go?" She chided malice obvious in her low tone. Beryl's head whipped up, she had not been aware that Metalia had returned, she had been too absorbed in her jealousy of that princess. Revenge could wait; right now she needed to please her master so she would not be punished.  
  
"I am very sorry my queen. It will not happen again." She did not bow, but lowered her head to show that she was still fearful, not apologetic to her trainer.  
  
"You should go train with Onyx, you both need a lesson in discipline. " Metalia snarled in a condescending tone. Beryl muttered her agreement and under her breath cursed Metalia seconds before she transported. The queen of death's fury had returned since she had definitely heard that red-haired witch call her some rather distasteful names. She would punish her in the training room soon…  
  
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Serenity and Endymion had been sitting on the beach for quite a while now. They were still talking about small matters like Venus' recent decision to take singing, and Mercury's still rising brainpower. But, sooner or later, they both knew that the topic they were called here for would come it. Now or never Endymion told himself.  
  
"Yes," He agreed to Serenity's story of how Nephrite had recently snuck into Jupiter's room. "He does that sometimes. Now, about the approaching dark forces…" He trailed off waiting for his blond princess to pick up. As he had anticipated she did.  
  
"I spoke with my mother and she said that the outer senshi were taking care of it." She smiled happily. It was so smart of her to talk to mother about this before she had to waste any time with Endymion. She giggled lightly as her prince pulled her hair out of her face. He realized he had found a ticklish spot and began the attack. She at first tried to contain her laughter, and then figured out her efforts were fruitless as he continued to tickle her harder. She broke out into musical laughter as she tried to push him away from her. She covered her head and tried to block the offending hand, but somehow that thing got through. She curled up into a ball on the beach, rolling in the sand from her giggles. Tears of laughter streamed down her face and Endymion stopped. She gasped for breath as she sat up, looked at him wondering why he had relented. Her face was a dark pink from laughing so hard.  
  
"What's wrong?" She wiped away the tears from her eyes. He caught her hand before she could put it down and kissed it. Blushing profusely she lowered her head trying to hide a deep red blush that was rising to her already pink cheeks. He smiled mischievously and pulled one pure white rose out from nowhere and placed it in her hair. Her maroon cheeks turned crimson, although the flower did compliment her pink and white outfit well. She looked up at him, a huge grin on her face through the blush. She brushed back his own messy midnight blue hair and watched his reaction.  
  
His expression remained blank and she couldn't help but feel defeated. "No fair, you don't blush!" She laughed merrily as he cupped her cheek with his right hand. Leaning into him she closed her eyes, and for a moment, he thought it was perfect. The two of them, lovers of both well respected planets sitting on the beach with the retreating sun and nothing to disturb this peaceful moment. For a minute, they sat there, and then the sun sunk below the horizon, so they both decided to head back to the palace upset they didn't get to spend any more time together.  
  
They soon entered the forest of fruit, a sort of synthesized garden. The moon did not produce any natural fruit, and so the gardens were created. The fruits were organic, but they still looked a little too sparkly and glistened when they shouldn't. They did not hold the strong rich taste of earth's food either. Serenity gingerly plucked off a ruby- looking apple as they continued through the woods. He talked while she ate and she talked while he ate, each switching off to give the other a chance at the free food. Maybe one day the gardeners would find a way to make the food on the moon taste like it did on earth; no one had so far found the cause of the somewhat bland fruit.  
  
They arrived at the palace after a short stroll through the woods to get there. Looking up at the large white marble pillars, the dark-eyed prince knew he had to leave. "I'm sorry Serenity, but I must depart now. If anyone sees us together they might find us out and that would not be good." He smiled, kneeling and kissing the beautiful girl's hand. He could tell she liked him, but would never say anything, it would be untactful. She smiled, a familiar tingling coming to her hand, as she nodded in understanding as he transferred some of his feelings for her through her hand and then swiftly let go.  
  
He stood, gave her a winning smile before leaving her alone in a flurry of rose petals. She glanced down at her still warm hand. Was this love she was feeling hers or his? Or was it both? She prayed to every god she knew it was both. She grinned, he would visit her soon and she knew it like it was destiny.  
  
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To Be Continued…  
  
AN: Please review! I need more then fifteen reviews! *smiles*  
  
Next Chapter: General/senshi romance, and beryl's jealousy is still building. *shivers* You know what is going to happen in the end, but this will hopefully be a very interesting spin. 


	2. Hidden and Restrained Feelings

1 AN: I am not going to talk too much, but I wanted to say a few things. One, I SO DID NOT write that guestbook entry that Jessica thinks I did. Two, as a author, I need to know when my works are no good. So, I am (I know again…) redoing the chapters. I will leave them posted, but I will be constantly fixing them as I go. I'm sorry if this isn't very handy but I'm really tired right now and I just want to finish chapter four. Three, chapter four will probably take a while to get out. While chapter three came almost immediately after chapter two, chapter four will be a while. It will most likely be out in a three weeks or less. *sighs* I know that's a long time, but I can't help it, I have to redo some of the chapters you know! This is the most recent corrected chapter. I don't know if I'll leave it like this either, but I hope this is good enough. If you catch a flaw in the plot or anything, please post it in a review and I'll fix it and repost it. I'm getting really exhausted of reposting stories, but what can you do. *smiles* Please enjoy chapter two…again for some of you.  
  
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3 "Unjust Seduction :: Hidden and Restrained Feelings"  
  
4 By: Kon Gyousano  
  
Mars ran. She ran as fast as she could, there was no way she was going to let that…thing get to her. But, she knew in her heart that eventually he would. Most people would have viewed her at the moment as a blur of raven hair and sailor senshi fuku, but of course, he didn't. He viewed her as a challenge, something to catch and make accept him. She didn't know weather she hated him or loved him. It was all so hazed over…and he didn't know weather he loved her or wanted her. It was just as foggy in his mind. Rei could only guess, but her psychic powers helped her get a vague idea of what he wanted.  
  
Glancing around, she found what she had been fleeing to, a sanctuary. Still running, she noticed Jadeite was still following her at a high speed. She rolled her eyes and whipped around to see the marketplace drawing nearer. There was no way he would try anything on her in front of everyone in the kingdom.  
  
Smirking, she dashed into the crowds, snatching different cloths and tossing gold coins over her head as she ran. It was a game, and a fun one at that. Maybe if she were a little nicer to him he would love her…and maybe if she would let her own defenses down she could love him. She slowed her pace to a walk, and pulled a bandana into her hair. She took the other cloth and wrapped it around herself to cover some more of her hair.  
  
Jadeite looked around. Where was his firebird? Had she actually escaped him? No way…looking around he caught sight of a long shining raven mane. Only one person had that color of hair, his little firebird. Smiling, he ran over to her. She had disguised herself well, even he had to admit. She had various cloths around her, one covering half of her hair.  
  
He didn't what possessed him to do it, but he lifted the cloth on her hair. She yelped in surprise, and whirled around to face him. He put on a coy grin and patted the top of her head.  
  
"Come on firebird, you can't run from me. You should know that by now." He drawled looking down into her fiery violet eyes. At the moment they were blazing, and he could almost see a plan forming in them to dodge him. Mars was silent for a moment, and that could only mean one thing, she was planning a getaway.  
  
"Please don't run…I won't hurt you." Coming out of her reverie she looked up at him. Could he really be saying that he wasn't the lustful general she thought he was? A stray blond bang fell into his face and she clenched her fists resisting the urge to brush it away. He tilted his head to the side, giving her an inquisitive glance and another bang promptly fell into his face. She sighed resignedly and reached up to brush the offensive hairs away. She never got to.  
  
Grabbing her wrist before it reached his face, the bright-eyed general of earth kissed her hand and sent shivers down her spine. Pulling away from her hand he started towards the market place fountain, princess of mars in tow. She looked at him curiously, having no idea what he was going to do.  
  
Suddenly, he reached down and scooped her up. Squealing she swiftly reached up for support and linked arms around his neck in a death grip. She suddenly realized he had one hand behind her head and one below her knees. Ignoring the warm wave that her arm was connected to, she let go. She liked him, but he still wasn't worth her reputation, yet. A wicked grin crossed his face and her eyes widened as she figured out what he was planning to do. She flailed her arms out trying to get a grip on his shirt but it was too late. Shrieking, he tossed his love into the deep fountain, careful not to throw her hard enough for her to reach the bottom.  
  
Thinking as fast as she could, Mars reached out to grab his shirt or neck or anything to hold her up before she was thrown into the water. Realizing she was already inches away from him, she screamed knowing her fate. She landed with a dull thunk in the cold water. She jumped up and then shrank back noticing that her senshi fuku was clinging to her like a parasite. The cold water was Mercury's area, she herself hated it.  
  
Remembering her white shirt she suddenly got a mental image of what she must look like to him right now. A soaking Mars princess in the middle of the market with a smug looking general. So much for reputation. Getting up angrily she flicked up a very rude finger and jumped out of the fountain, knowing that her short skirt must have been giving everyone around her quite a view.  
  
Her mind was too fuzzy to think though, so she ran. Her long hair and drenched state made the wind seem a lot colder but she ignored it. She would have her revenge, but now she had to think of what to do to him for it. Pushing the annoying buzzing to the side of her mind, she decided that Jadeite needed to be publicly humiliated just like her. Smirking she planned how she would get him back even more then he had embarrassed her.  
  
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Mercury was tired, and she well deserved a break. No, that was an understatement. She was exhausted.  
  
Stretching, she let out a cat-like yawn. She had been working on royal proclamations all day. Would Queen Serenity and the princess like to go to Indonesia for a royal gathering between its rulers and some of Australia's royal ambassadors? Or would they go to the Neptunian Empire for a visit between old friends? Well, that answer was easy. The blue-haired princess shredded the first envelope and stamped the second one. Picking up several letters, five large books, and placing her few brought possessions on the floor, she started to organize. Setting all the torn and crumpled papers in the trashcan to her left, she looked at the desk.  
  
Two small brochures sat lazily at the edge, and twelve foreign language books were laid beside more unopened envelops. A small plain penholder sat at the right corner of the desk holding mainly feathers and a small inkbottle was dumped beside it. Mercury sighed, why did the moon kingdom still use those things? They were so dirty, she would have to design a safe efficient way of writing without spilling black liquid all over her desks, but later. She reached down and lifted the large stack of papers. Frowning at some of the ancient titles, she looked back at the desk, and gasped.  
  
The penholder was gone, and had been replaced with another with a more decorative flowery pattern on it. It had been filled with the strangest little things, they were mostly yellow and beige, and at the top they had little black points. Knowing from experience that touching strange things was not the way to go, Mercury took out her scanner and looked them over. They had no negative energy, and seemed to be harmless unless they were positioned at the wrong angle and you had your hand there. These were made of wood, and lined with white gold. In the center, one eighth of the things, were lead. Smiling, she reached out carefully and with one delicate hand picked up one. It was light, and at the end where the gold lining was, a large pink stub stuck out.  
  
Putting her scanner away she picked up a piece of the leftover paper and placed the object of interest's point on it. She lifted it to see a small gray dot in the place the point had been. She frowned and put it down again this time pulling it along the length of the paper. Grinning as she realized they were writing utensils, she put the other end down and ran over the line in the opposite direction. The line seemed to smear a little.  
  
She frowned and rubbed the pink end back and forth over the line. After several lengths that portion of the line was gone. She would have to find out what these things were called later.  
  
Remembering that things didn't just pop up she looked around for whoever had put the penholder there.  
  
"Hello? Who's there!" Hearing a rustling in the stack of papers behind her she stiffened startled. Jumping around she sighed in relief "Oh…Zoi, you scared me half to death!" She playfully swatted his arm.  
  
A man with long auburn hair tied in a messy ponytail and smoky green eyes towered above her. But, amazingly Mercury didn't feel the least bit threatened by this man, even though his obvious muscles were clearly visible under a small gold armor. Smiling up at the man, she couldn't help but notice his fit shape. Her bell-like voice spoke up to break the perfect atmosphere as she realized why she was getting up.  
  
"Did you leave the penholder there?" She grinned up at her lover to make sure he didn't feel threatened.  
  
"Yes." His deep voice was smiling as it bounced off her offices walls.  
  
"I love it! Thank you so much!" Forgetting all manners the future queen of Mercury rushed up to the unprotected general and embraced him in a bear hug.  
  
Sputtering for a moment, he finally found his breath and hugged the blue-eyed princess back. "You're welcome." He smirked as she grip on him tightened.  
  
Without looking up at the green-eyed general, Mercury whispered, "I love you." It was a statement, and it had a finality to it that was not to be argued with. She smiled into his shirt even though she knew he couldn't see her.  
  
"I love you too, waterlily," He said into her hair. This was a time when he cursed their height differences or he would have the perfect opportunity to kiss her. Kingdom laws be damned, he wanted to kiss this girl right now! Abruptly she pulled away from him. "What is it?" He sounded a bit gruffer than he had meant to and immediately cursed himself for his haste in asking her why she had backed up. She was always too soft and trusting.  
  
"I'm going down to the palace game room for a while to relax, maybe play a game of chess or two with some handsome guys I can find in there... Care to join me, maybe play a little?" She knew it was not a question more of an order, and he knew it as well. She was giving a million dollar smile outside and a triumphant one inside. She knew he loved chess just as much if not more then her. It was a no lose situation, her and chess.  
  
"Of course I'll accompany you. I've had a long day too, waterlily," He reached over and took her hand as they walked down to the game hall, without her objections to his use of his now common nickname for her.  
  
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Jupiter sat mindlessly brushing her walnut hair. It was down today, but not for long. Down hair was only for fancy occasions like parties or balls. Today was her lazy day and she was going to do what she wanted do. She had no princess to protect toady, Serenity was out with Endymion. That was why she got to fight today.  
  
And fighting meant three things.  
  
One, she got to see Nephrite. Oh he was so dreamy with his chestnut hair and deep blue eyes that always pulled her in, and that tall stature…She cut herself off. No, I'm going to spar with him today. I won't list his good traits, only think of his weaknesses.  
  
Two, she got to show off. She knew it sounded it a little snobbish, but she was a good fighter. Actually the best in the Moon Kingdom to be exact. Only one person to ever visit the palace had actually beaten her in a fight. And again, it was Nephrite.  
  
Three, she got to fight. Fighting, cooking, and cleaning where her ways to keep her mind off things. Lately she had been too concerned with the well being of the kingdom to worry about her. But today wads her break, and she was not going to waste it indoors.  
  
She pulled her hair up into its usual ponytail and picked up two ornate green balls connected to each other with a thick rubber band. She held her hair in place with one hand and pulled the rubber band around it with the other, twisting it and then pulling her long hair through again.  
  
Finally her ponytail was done and she got up to head down to the coliseum.  
  
Nephrite sighed and absentmindedly ran a hand through his chocolate hair and gave the fit soldier he was training a bemused smile. "You need to work on your form, but you're strategy of defense and less offense it very wise. You should work," He paused and dodged a small punch from the now fully recovered fighter. "On finding your opponents weaknesses." He jumped up and landed a semi-hard kick on the soldiers back. Landing with a loud thud Nephrite took it as a break point.  
  
Looking up at the door, he saw just the face he had wanted to see. "Taking a day off love?" Jupiter smiled at the remark even though she tried to hide it. Letting a small wave of annoyance help fuel her fighting spirit at his nonchalant remark. Did he want her to be killed? Sometimes she wondered. Glancing around she caught sight of the man who had called to her, and walked up to him, sizing him up.  
  
Today he had large bags under his eyes, but he amazingly hadn't broken a sweat yet. That was the way to play it, save up your strength for the enemies that might actually pose a threat to your reputation. She liked fighting him, even if she lost a lot. That was going hard on her though, he lost more or less just as much as her. But who was keeping track? She snapped out of her reverie as he crossed his arms in front of her. "Yes actually I am." She gave him a lopsided smirk at his half-amused expression, and struck a battle pose. "But, I want a fight. And a good one at that."  
  
She had parted her feet just a little and bent down a little to give her a definite balance and held out her two fists, one in front of the other making her look very fierce and opposing. His grin widened and he saw she wasn't going to make the first move. "Very nice stature. A good battle you'll get, and I won't hold back just because I like you and you're a princess." Oblivious to the crowd gathering around them, the started circling each other like a pair of carnivorous animals, trying to decide which one would make the first move.  
  
Jupiter decided to stop the awkward silence and the endless prowling and lunged forward fist coming down and then other fist following. The first few punches were dodged, but when she threw a very low kick at him while also sending a distracting punch, she struck gold. Falling onto his back, she saw her chance and pinned him down with her foot.  
  
His grin widened as he reached up and grabbed her foot. How could she have been so careless? The pain she felt when she landed hard on her bottom was her idea of a punishment for her careless actions. She threw her entire body weight to her feet and jumped up, landing steadily on her feet. She took up offense again, this time adding high kicks along with low.  
  
Nephrite noticed a small sweat was starting to break across her forehead that meant he was wearing her down. He smiled and caught her fist halfway to his chest and then her other fist, midway to his face. He squeezed down, but not hard enough to leave any permanent damage. He was rewarded when her face scrunched up meaning that she didn't want to show her pain to him, but was being forced to. He threw her down forcefully and when she only got up elbow he declared the fight over. The crowd of watchers had grown into a large semi circle a good distance away from them.  
  
Jupiter grinned; she had gotten the fight she wanted. She held up her hand, and he reached down and started to lift her up when she pulled him down on top of her. Blinking owlishly for a moment, Nephrite finally realized what position he was in and saw the blush he would have been wearing if he weren't such a manly man on his love's face. "Meet me tonight at the field of Eros…okay my thunderdragon?" He liked his new pet name for her, even if she didn't.  
  
But, much to his relief, her blush deepened and she mumbled a hushed "Of course" into her own shirt. He smiled openly, pulling himself off of the princess. She had things to do, and he couldn't keep her from them. Besides, he had to ready himself for tonight…  
  
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Venus stood by her window, gazing at the slowly sinking sun. It cast an exquisite orange glow over the land, stretching across everything it could touch. Its farthest ray's landed on Venus, turning her usually pale blond hair a dazzling orange.  
  
She sighed, why did time always slow down when you wanted it to speed up, and go faster when you wanted to savor it? She brushed a stray bang out of her face, and stepped away from her window and out to the balcony. Only one minute to go…he should be here by now! She took deep breaths and waited. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she saw a shadowed figure below her balcony.  
  
Suddenly, the figure vanished, and she spun around on her heels, only to find herself nose to nose with that very figure. "H-Hi." She could feel his warm breath on her face, and she had the distinct feeling that if she didn't do something and soon, she was going to be in over her head. She slow backed away and bumped into the ledge of the balcony. She reached behind her and squeezed the edge of the banister. She tilted her head up to get a good view of Malachite. He looked like he had been getting ready for the party tonight early. Oh bless Queen Serenity and her love for parties, it made her man just that much more handsome.  
  
"Hello princess." His deep voice was a little weary from teleporting up to her room.  
  
She smiled mischievously and jumped off the balcony. She knew that her senshi reflexes would save her from the five-story fall, but she knew that Mal didn't know that. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the air whip around her, and then two warm arms wrapped around her middle. She glanced up to see a pair of annoyed navy eyes looking down at her.  
  
The ground came all the too fast, and since she was being carried over his shoulders now, she had no fear of being hurt. She pounded her fists into the back of his armor, purposely not too hard. "Let me down! Let me go!" She pounded, while he got an evil glint in his eyes. He started walking with her over his shoulders towards the castle. Screeching, Venus got an idea. "Venus Crystal Power, Make UP!" Her body was incased in a warm transparent glow as she spun around, feeling the magic of the transformation wash over. Millions of small stars burst from the ground spiraling around her, and it was these that blinding the general and gave her the perfect chance for escape. Running as fast as her senshi powers would let her, she bounded into the nearest city. Mal groaned as he realized what she wanted him to do.  
  
Looking around, she saw some tall buildings to make her escape, and leaped up, half glancing to see him on her tail. He looked really angry from a distance. She looked ahead and saw an at least thirty-story building. She took a deep breath, gathered her confidence, and jumped. She smiled when she jumped a few feet above the ground to the building.  
  
Malachite watched as she jumped up a huge building. That was reckless even for her. He shrugged his shoulders and leapt up after her. He reached the top fairly easily, and looked around at the surrounding buildings. She was nowhere to be found. There was a door in front of him though, and the lock had the distinct impression of a heart molded into it. Grinning, he ran through the open door, and saw Sailor Venus a few flights below him. Seizing his opportunity, he jumped over the railing and slid down to where she was. She gasped and ran through the nearest door, into an almost empty office room. Much to his dismay the elevator in front of them was closing really fast and she could easily make it but he didn't know if he could squeeze through. Several people rushed out of it, seeing the blurred figures approaching.  
  
Sailor Venus lunged into the elevator and clicks the close button as fast as she could. In a swift motion, the general of earth threw all his strength into one leap and made it into the elevator. This didn't accomplish much, but he got in the lift nonetheless. But, all ups have downs, and Sailor Venus got both. Good thing was that Malachite was plastered along her length. Or was that the bad? Maybe it was both.  
  
Breathing heavily the silver-haired general spoke. "Enough. We better get to the palace before the ball or the Queen will have my head for making you late." Venus giggled. She squirmed under him, trying to get a little distance between them.  
  
"You're not getting away that easily though." The elevator had started its slow departure to the first floor. He put his hands on either side of her head. She looked up at him, with barely concealed worry in her eyes.  
  
"Mars is the only one of us to do that…Please don-" Her breathing quickened as he leaned over and shushed her with his lips. First she stiffened under him, but then she decided to make the better of their twenty-two more floors and gave into the electricity shooting through her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he slowly let his slide from pinning her to around her waist. Only one thing could break them out of their current situation. "Ding" After at least five minutes of lip locking, the elevator came to a halt. Both abruptly pulled away from each other simultaneously.  
  
Malachite straightened his pale blue suit, and ran a hand through his hair, careful to be at the opposite end of the elevator from his love. He couldn't trust himself not to do something foolish.  
  
Sailor Venus silently detransformed into her princess gown, and straightened her hair bow just to make sure nobody noticed. The doors sure were taking their time in opening. "Tonight, beautiful dove, I'll pay your room a visit. It has been ages since I've been there." He grinned wickedly as her eyes widened, but she had no chance to counter it with an excuse as the doors pulled apart at that very moment. She gave a feeble nod of her head and stepped out of the lift and concentrated on teleporting back to her room.  
  
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Queen Beryl looked at the child before her. This boy could not have been more then six, just old enough for him to fight her. She glanced a Metalia again. "Why must I kill him?" Her voice came out a little weaker then she had intended. She looked down at the frightened eyes of the boy and made up her mind as to how to kill him if she had to.  
  
"To prove you're loyalty to me before you and Onyx fight. It's a warm up, so you don't waste your want for death to come off on King Onyx." She hissed.  
  
"Fine, fine, let's get this over with. She took the petrified child's chin in her hand, and just to be nice, gave him a quick death. Squeezing hard enough to break concrete, she kept her hand on the boys chin, careful not to let her nails get dirty. She heard a small 'urk' after a moment, which meant, her job was done.  
  
Letting the boy's limp body drop to the floor, she looked back a Queen Metalia. "Now let's go." She didn't dare to look back. This was Metalia's way of keeping Beryl in her place and she knew it. She headed down the dark chambers that lead to the battlegrounds.  
  
She reached them, and saw her opponent sulking in those shadows he was so obsessed with. She had never battled Onyx before, she had fought Metalia, but of course she lost every time to Metalia's mind control, but fighting Onyx would be interesting.  
  
She rolled her eyes and put up a fighting stance. "Come on, hurry up. I have places to go, things to do, people to kill." Her red eyes glowed dangerously as she eyed her next victim.  
  
Onyx watched, bemused, at beryl's battle pose and speech. He stepped out of the shadows, letting his black hair cascade over his shoulders. He was the King of Darkness, and would not be defeated by this frail little redhead.  
  
He held out his hand, where a black orb formed. Holding the now pulsing globe above his head, he let all the shadows behind him blend with the sphere and make the ultimate cover, total blackness. He started chanting, letting his hands come down in front of him and the orb float above his head. Beryl was watching with half interest. A red glow started to shine in his hands. His chanting grew louder and more urgent.  
  
"De no isno tkuo rein wikumo y orkno. De no isno tkuo rein wikumo y orkno." He knew his words came out in the ancient language of Sumerian, but he knew what they meant in his language anyway.  
  
"Come out dagger of blood and darkness. Come out dagger of blood and darkness." He looked at his hands where a gleaming silver blade was now, covered in the blood of his last opponent. Beryl had obviously seen this weapon, and closed her flaming eyes for a moment, and a huge spear of black crystal came to her hands. Neither knew it, but Metalia was deciding which one of them would lead the war by the victor of this battle.  
  
Beryl noticed a small ivy patch beside her. She started chanting in Sumerian as well. The language of darkness was quite commonly used in the Negaverse. "De no hrio karna y rempo geriam." She didn't need to repeat her order. The poison plant beside her came out and built an indestructible shield around her. She held out her hand and the ivy quivered at her command. It flickered and formed an invisible shield in front of her.  
  
Deciding she didn't want to waste any more time, she sighed and took out a large black weapon. Metalia shrank back, now fully realizing the extent to which Beryl's powers went. Holding the gun propped on her shoulder like a gem, she fired it, sending a large blast of black energy straight into the darkness that concealed Onyx. He gave a scream of outrage, meaning that it had hit its intended target. The darkness faded after a moment, revealing a shaking Onyx on the ground. His breathing was labored, and the sphere above him was apparently the only thing holding him in consciousness at the moment.  
  
Beryl gave a sadistic grin as she realized she had won, and pointed a single red talon at him, he was lifted off the ground, and she carefully placed him next to Metalia. He was only movable when he was unconscious or on the verge of it. Beryl patted the gun on her shoulder like it was a long lost treasure then sighed. She clicked her fingers with her free hand sending the weapon back to the endless void that was it's home.  
  
Metalia talked about only one thing at the end of the brawl. "Where did you find that?" Beryl smiled wickedly as she realized that Metalia wanted something she had. She thought about what this could do for her, and decided it couldn't do anything and told her.  
  
"It was on Azuma. I was visiting an old…" she paused not knowing if Metalia would kill her or not to have friends. "Acquaintance of mine and they told me of the challenge of that planet. It holds the true power of death, and I went through the tasks. They were fairly simple, and as a reward for my efforts, this lovely 'soul gun' appeared. After several trial runs, I found that it destroys-" Metalia waved her hand in the air signaling that she already knew what it did.  
  
"And why was I not informed of this little gift?" She spat her underling. "It wasn't even in your mind! How did you hide it from me?"  
  
"You are not the only person with mind control. My old acquaintance has the power now to intensify anyone's powers tenfold and they did so with me as a gift. That's why when I came back I could easily block whatever I wanted from you. The effects are wearing off though, and I think I need to go see them again…" She trailed off looking at Metalia expectantly. Metalia however said nothing, but turned on her heal with a floating Onyx lying unconscious behind her and walked defiantly down the hallway.  
  
"That witch, never could be defeated could she. Always had to be first place." Beryl rolled her eyes and teleported to her chamber, resuming her crystal ball gazing. "WHAT! I was only gone a little bit! There's no way he got that far in such a little time! No WAY!" She shrieked tossing the huge black crystal she still held at the far wall where it shattered into billions of tiny fragments flying around the room.  
  
She glared down at the princess of the moon, furious. She was fuming at the moment, and she intended to show it, one way or another.  
  
A voice spoke from behind her. "Not yet. You will get your revenge, but right now we have more important issues at stake. We must assemble an army." 


	3. Preparations

"Unjust Seduction :: Love and It's Thorns"  
  
1 By: Kon Gyousano  
  
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Metalia paced back and forth. She didn't know whether or not Beryl knew what that weapon was worth. She knew, it was nearly irreplaceable. Two had been made in the entire galaxy, and she didn't intend for her tutor to go waving it around like a trophy on a shelf. She needed to pay her master a visit. Making her final decision, she closed her eyes and transported to the castle of the sun. This almost deserted planet had become inhabited years after it had burst into a supernova.  
  
Few people had survived the blast, and only one remained millions of years later. Glancing around, she saw that she was in the ruins of the Sol Palace, a castle occupied by only one person at the time. One of royal blood, queen to this isolated star. Pandemonium, second sister to Chaos himself. Metalia knelt on the ground she was on, feeling her master's presence.  
  
"Why have you come?" An icy voice void of any human emotions asked her the most simple of questions, and yet she was at a loss for words to answer it. She let her pale pink tongue slide over her already dry lips, and looked up to face her creator.  
  
A tall woman with cold black expressionless eyes, pitch-black hair that fell down to her feet freely in controlled waves, and white, almost sickly pale skin stood before her face impassive.  
  
She had on her senshi fuku, she was after all the only one in the universe who could truly say she had been born on the sun and therefore had the right to the once-planets sailor senshi title. Pandemonium didn't stand in front of her, Sailor Sun did.  
  
Wide black bat-like wings were folded behind her, with blood-red veins running through them. A black choker was strung around her small neck, a three layered black, purple, and burgundy skirt connected to a white shirt hidden only by a large black bow with a small black circular broach, and poison green collar with two stripes. Two large puffy icy green sleeves clung to smaller transparent hoops on her shoulders. Short gloves trimmed with more acid green were squeezed neatly onto her lower arms.  
  
In a voice filled with half concealed fear as to what her fate would be for interrupting whatever the queen had been doing she managed to spit out five words. "A…g-gun has b-been found." She let a sadistic grin come to her deathly pale lips. She had said it, now the final judgment was up to Sailor Sun. Her ruler looked down at her, face not showing any kind of pain, annoyance, or happiness. Maybe it was the firm line her lips were, or maybe it was the swirling vortex her eyes were…  
  
"Yes, I am aware of that. You have forgotten that I am the original creator of the guns. I will not be needing it, so you may do as you please with the carrier of it." Her deep voice was on the verge of sardonic, but it just didn't quite make it out of the indifferent personality she had adopted. If Metalia could have smiled, she would. But, since she couldn't, she settled for the next best thing, she smirked.  
  
"Yes master." Her voice dripped with venom, but Sailor Sun didn't care, or didn't show it at least. She curtsied; in her fully materialized state she was able to fulfill such a task. She looked up to see the still nonchalant face of her queen, and vanished in eddies of black mist.  
  
"You may come out K-san. She's gone." Sailor Sun turned towards the shadowed hallway corners, eyes still endless voids.  
  
"If it's the same to you, I'd rather not risk it. What if Nepherenia decided she wanted to visit you with her recent plans? What would I do then?" The blacked-haired senshi tried to become angry, but her emotional block wouldn't allow her to feel anything. Pain came with feelings, and she wasn't willing to risk losing this war she had planned for centuries.  
  
"I would very much wish to look upon the face of my dear friend and faithful servant." The queen of the sun glared into the shadowy depths penetrating them with her look of uncaring.  
  
"Okay, but only to see me, then back to moping around the corners of this dreary wreck of a place. Remind me why you stay here?" Her bell-like voice signaled she wasn't as uncaring as Sailor Sun. A figure stepped out of the shadows, with one faint click of heels hitting the floor just enough so that half her face was shown.  
  
Long silky reddish-brown hair pooled out around the hips of a tall young woman. Eyes to shame a sapphire flickered joyously at seeing the sailor senshi. Her long gold eyelashes blinked obviously trying to adjust to the bright light of the star she was on at the moment.  
  
Normal creamy peach skin was almost entirely concealed under her garments, but her face showed she had it. Scars were clearly seen around various parts of her face, and Sailor Sun couldn't help but wonder if there were more like those on the rest of her equal. A royal gown of a princess covered most of her figure, but stiff boots and thick long gloves, both white and trimmed in black were the only contradiction other then her small silver crown  
  
"I live here, to rule over this planets solar energy. Without me here, the sun would just collapse and expand for all of eternity. Only those who have the bloodline of a Sol can live through touching that kind of heat now. The sun protects us." She stared up at the crystal-eyed soldier.  
  
"Now you have seen me. Is there any reason I am here?" her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and the senshi knew it. She flipped her long hair over her shoulders stubbornly and stepped back into the darkness the walls cast over the room. Being on the sun, the shadows were extremely intensified.  
  
"I had you come here to tell you a soul gun has been found, Metalia is arranging an army, even if she won't tell me. And, Nepherenia has found some followers she's taken the dream mirrors of. They are now under her full control." She looked up impassively at the taller girl.  
  
Accepting the news slowly the russet-haired girl smiled into the darkness, and with a click of her fingers vanished into the blackness surrounding her. The only remaining trace she had ever been there was the faint whispered words "Thank you and Farwell until next we meet…"  
  
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Amber stood sipping her glass of bittersweet wine, trying to keep a smile on her face. Seeing Serenity with her fiancé just…made her want to kick something. She knew that Serenity loved Endymion, and she knew that she loved Phillip. Her sister's denial to have anything to do with such a charming, handsome…no, she cut herself off. It wasn't right. Serenity was going to marry the man of her own dreams and she was going to be forced to marry the man of her big sister's dreams. This had to be some form of cosmic joke.  
  
She took another sip of the red wine and grimaced. It started out sugary like a juice, and then it took on a sour more harsh taste. She compared her life to the drink, both were sweet at first, and then took a turn for the worst. But, somehow, she managed to keep a meek smile on her face through both. She had been taught manners of a princess, for she was one even if she wasn't the crown princess of the kingdom.  
  
Her mother's voice rang through her mind. 'Never sit down at the table until I have, never make noise with your silverware; it will be set for you, always finish an offered drink, always excuse yourself and curtsy when leaving at a ball, never clink your silverware when stirring tea, never put used silverware on the table, never slurp cocoa or soup, never play with your hair during a meal, and only speak when spoken to.' At the time she hadn't understood why there were so many rules just for eating dinner and leaving the room, but she soon learned that if one rule was broken your reputation as one of royal blood went down tenfold.  
  
Kindness and charity would gain back your current standings and sympathy would be smiled at. Through her life so far she had learned three important things. Always follow protocol and be nice to everyone, even your enemies.  
  
Two, never cry or show any sign you were unhappy in front of the public eyes. That was a sure way to destroy everything you had worked your entire life to achieve.  
  
And last, never question your superiors. It would lead to unkind rumors and bad opinions among your home kingdom's subjects.  
  
She let out an exasperated sigh. There was no way of letting anyone know how unhappy she was unless she told her mother or an equal. Then it hit her like a huge brick slamming her brain back into place, as if it had been off- center her entire life.  
  
Princess Serenity.  
  
That one name was of the person she could tell everything to! She could spill her feelings to her sister, because she and her were on equal ground until Serenity took up her birthright and became queen. She let a ghost of a real smile creep onto her lips as she poured the remnants of the now bland drink into her mouth and swallowed in one gulp. She carefully set her glass cup down and stood, excusing herself and nodding her head far enough down that everyone would know she was leaving.  
  
As soon as she reached the door, she nearly slammed it behind her and ran down the hall, running straight into a daydreaming sister. "Serenity!" she panted. "I'm so sorry! I was looking for you and I ran right into you! Please forgive me?!" She breathed a sigh of relief, as her frail sister got up unharmed. She had always been the clumsy one of the family, tripping and crashing into everything and everywhere. It was so ironic that Serenity would get the grace and the title. But, then again, she had the hair, and if anything should happen to her sister she would get the title, but she didn't want to think about things like that.  
  
"Of course I forgive you. I cannot ever be made at you, it is too mean- spirited." The blond smiled cheerfully holding out a hand to help her sister up.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you…" She took a deep steadying breath. "I can't stand all these rules and stuff. I have got to find a way out of it. PLEASE, if there were a way for me to escape this life, even for a little while, would you tell me? You're older then me, and I haven't the faintest idea of anything that would fill my pleas." She looked towards the ceiling; it was easier to stop the tears that were forming in here eyes.  
  
"Dear sister, I know a way. But, you will not be able to tell mother about this. She'll eat me alive if she heard I was doing this." Serenity looked down at her small lavender-haired sister.  
  
"Please tell me! I need to get out of here!" Serenity didn't need her gift of feeling people's strong emotions through looking in their eyes, but she had to look. Agony, desperation, and sorrow filled her sisters eyes.  
  
"I will tell you on one condition. You have to return when I do." Serenity looked at her sister's joyous tears and knew she had done the right thing.  
  
"I agree! Whatever it is to escape my title and duties as a princess I'll do it! And I'll come back with you as well." Amber smiled her first real smile in weeks.  
  
The crystal blue eyed princess of the moon gave a meek smile at her sister's somewhat childish behavior. "We're running away. Pack only your favorite outfits, anything you can't live without, and don't tell anyone. Bring nothing else. We're leaving tonight." She gave a feeble giggle or excitement. "Meet me tonight in my room on my balcony. The senshi of the inner planets know, but don't inform Luna or Artemis, they'll tell my mother for sure. Especially Luna, she can't keep one secret to herself." The young blond embraced her sister, and curtsied at her, so as she would know that protocol still stood as long as they were in the palace.  
  
Wiping the glistening tears of bliss from her face, the bright lighting making her rosy cheeks shine with anticipation. "Tonight," she breathed. "When the ball's over, I will meet you. Maybe before it ends. Those things go on forever." She remembered her mother's fondness for parties and groaned mentally. "Before it ends," she decided and firmly stated her final plan.  
  
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Zoisite pulled his hair into a careless ponytail, letting a few loose strands fall over into his handsome face. He smirked at himself in the mirror. Truly, there were far too many mirrors in this palace, but it was to his advantage. He flipped the freshly showered hair over his shoulder and practiced his seductive smile. He just had to get her to notice him instead of distracting him with more chess…it was his turn speaking of.  
  
He turned back to the board in front of him and smiled. She had fallen right into his trap. He pondered for a moment, torture her with two fatal decisions, or just go for the checkmate? He took the lazy way out, wanting to end this game and moved his bishop forward to the right.  
  
Mercury stared awed at the chessboard. Had she been so distracted with him that she had made a reckless move? One conclusion popped into her mind. Yes.  
  
She examined her position; vaguely aware her opponent was muttering a very smug "Checkmate." She saw that her knight could block it, at the expense of her queen. A dull pawn could throw him off for one turn, but not long enough for a strategy to start to form and save her king. Sacrificing her queen was the only way to win. She sighed. Her own bishop was closing ranks with the general's king, but she didn't want to make the same mistake twice and ignore her king. She picked up the dull fake wood of her playing piece and stepped the knight forward and over.  
  
Zoisite was caught off guard to say the least. He face faltered for a moment, almost falling out of his chair. He gripped the table trying to steady him, and after counting to ten in Greek, he looked up to the table. Seeing that Mercury had just sacrificed her knight to him, and thinking her king was only moves away, he took her knight with his queen. His one mistake was raising his hand off that piece.  
  
Mercury, being the calm educated person she was, did not grab her queen and take his queen instantly. She let a small secretive smirk cross her face, and then slowly reached for her queen. She knocked his piece over very pristinely and continued her play towards the black king.  
  
Zoisite, realizing his mistake all to fast, smacked himself on the head. How could he have though that she would NOT set a trap for him? He had set her up by messing with his hair so that she wouldn't see he was sneaking his bishop closer and closer to her white king. Mercury's coy smile was driving him insane as well. He finally saw a way for him to not lose. He moved his bishop to take one of her pawns.  
  
Mercury looked down in wonder and muttered. "Stale," before getting up and bowing to Zoisite. "Thank you for a commendable game of chess." She said lightly, straightening up as Zoisite stood.  
  
Zoisite bowed before his opponent. "Good game waterlily." He grinned openly when she flushed bright red. He took her hand, getting an electric jolt from it. He smiled sheepishly, he liked her very much, but he wasn't sure if she like him as a friend for all those years spent together, or as something more. He kissed her hand, never letting his eyes move from hers. Her blush was steadily increasing to a dark crimson. He let go of the delicate hand and threw some light berries on the ground.  
  
With a small 'thap', Mercury watched Zoisite vanish into the blinding light of the open fruit. She bent down to pick up the shell as the light died away and noticed the ripe insides. Stuffing it in her pocket, she headed to her room to dress for the oncoming ball and pack for her escape that night. The princess had tried to lie to the inner senshi about her never wanting to leave, and they had noticed it. Mercury had then hooked her up to her scanner, and checked her pulse when she told them she had never wanted to run from her title and duties. Her heartbeat had increased, and her perspiration level had sky rocketed as she told them in a shaky voice full of uncertainty, 'no?' Mercury had shown the others and they had demanded to know when she was leaving. She had allowed them to accompany her, but she had made them all swear not to tell anyone, even Luna and the Queen.  
  
Mercury sighed, brushing an exceptionally long strand of hair out of her eyes. Sometimes Princess Serenity could be so foolish. Running off with Prince Endymion to wherever he deemed safe without anyone with you was NOT her idea of a bright idea.  
  
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Mars grinned triumphantly as she ran the comb through her hair. She didn't know where the idea had come from, but she had the perfect revenge against Jadeite. His royal standings would drop, as would hers, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. She knew it was the only possible way to get an even score with her rival and lover.  
  
She smiled and pulled her hair into a high bun on top of her head, letting the loose ends trail down a little, before looping them back up again with small clips. He would pay, it wouldn't harm him enough for permanent damage…hopefully.  
  
She glanced at her small bag of cloths and belongs. She still had to think of a name to use when she ran away. She couldn't exactly say, 'Hi, I'm Sailor Mars!' She knew that her fans would swamp her, and her enemies would try to kill her while she was away from the castle. Along with the face all the girls would be in an immense punishment for running away without returning, and the everlasting punishment of having her upper arm branded…she shuddered at the thought. But that only happened if they were caught before returning.  
  
Turning her mind back to her revenge, she looked over at the transformation pen sitting almost innocently on her desk. Almost. She reached over and picked up the wand, spinning it through her fingers a few times, and examining it. It truly was a pretty thing. It had intricate patters running along it, and the symbol of mars burned red inside a small arrow trapped in a red sphere. It glittered with an invisible fire in the light of the chandelier in her room. The small pale lavender wings that sprung off the small crystal orb spread out and held an unearthly aura of power in them. Mars thought of names she likes, and names that described her, and the perfect name came to her.  
  
Hino Kasei  
  
Of course she could have to combine the hi no into Hino, but none the less, it resembled her very much. She would have to change it a bit though…making sure that nobody knew who she really was. 'fire of mars' was just a little bit too much of a giveaway. Maybe take part of mars off…yes. Hino Rei. It still meant the same thing to her, and nobody would ever figure she would have changed her name much. So, from thus on, she would refer to herself as Rei… 


	4. Runaways

An- Hello everyone. I know you have probably waited a very long time for this chapter and I'm sorry. If I told you to read this story and you're now checking up on it, I'm SO happy. You have no idea. *smiles* If you are a normal reader who I don't force to visit my archives and are here just to read my rather elaborate tale of trust, love, faith, hope, sorrow, pain, desperation and the depths of the soul, here is chapter four of it! Now, everyone out there frowning or scowling at my joyous manner of speaking, start grinning or this story will not have the desired effect and will leave you either blank faced or scowling/frowning again. This is one of those stories you have to start out smiling to end up grinning. I hope you like it!  
  
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"Unjust Seduction :: Runaways"  
  
By: Kon Gyousano  
  
  
  
  
  
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Amber idly fiddled with her fingers. These parties could be so very annoying! She waved a hand about nonchalantly at the newest suitor trying to make her dance. What was with these people and dancing? Didn't they know she would most likely trip on them? Or were they just destined to persistently annoy princesses about parading around the room.  
  
Unknown to her, most of those men were not thinking her just a princess. Her tawny strapless gown and long flowing embroideries made her look like a reincarnate of the beautiful goddess her grandmother once was. Perhaps it was just chance she was born at the exact moment her grandmother went on, or perhaps it was fate. Maybe she had her grandmother's soul, no one would ever know before the end came.  
  
Also unknown to anyone, a solitary figure sat in the corner, blanketed in shadows. The figure sighed wearily, reaching out weak to pat the head of a small girl sitting beside him. The girl looked to be no more then six, but in reality, she had lived longer than anyone in the room other than the man sitting beside her.  
  
"Why did you bring me here papa?" the small child asked in a stern voice which would have made you laugh, but the simple understanding in her eyes told you snickering at her would not be a good idea, for she knew even more then you did.  
  
"Tonight, the princess' and the court are running away to earth. I'm sure you know the story." He wasn't asking it, but his deep raspy voice covered in age hid most of the emotions he poured into it.  
  
The child nodded exuberantly swinging her legs back and forth. A frown crossed her face and she stopped moving sitting perfectly still staring at Princess Amber and Serenity from across the room. Her focus moved to the queen sitting on her high thrown, and the small girl sniffled and hiccupped. Her father leaned over, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "It's okay, you know what's coming. You can't do anything to stop it. I tried once remember? That made quite a mess it did." He patted the girl's head, smiling warmly down at her.  
  
"I remember, and then you had to go back and tell your past self that you shouldn't tell the queen what was coming because if you did the queen would tell her daughter that she knew she was running away, and that if she ran away she would die. And, in the end they both were present and both died at the end of this millennium, thus leaving nobody powerful enough to send the senshi to earth!" The girl reached for the tall man's hand and squeezed it. "No matter how many times I come back to this time, I always feel the pain. Over again and again. I can't control it." She stifled a sob; people were starting to notice the shadow covered figures.  
  
"We have to go, the guards are coming, and they will mistake your hair for the hair of Terrian. Let us take our leave." A portal of swirling white flames opened behind them. The man stood, taking his daughters hand and pulling her into the vortex of blinding fire with him. Amazingly, no one had noticed even their existence, due to the darkness hiding them, and the elegant ball going on in front of them.  
  
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Mercury sighed, trying to help Jupiter come up with a name to use wherever they were leaving to. Why had their princess agreed to go ANYWHRE with the prince of earth? He could masquerade them as someone else yes, but where would he be taking them anyway? Mercury had chosen the name Ami Mizuno for its simplicity and representation. Now Jupiter needed a name.  
  
"Um…" Mercury looked sideways at the floor, thinking of any name to use for her friend. "Something to do with wood and trees…maybe lightning? And fighting, you love fighting. Perhaps something to show your love of cooking?" Jupiter grinned openly at this. "Or maybe just something totally new to help hide us." Mercury turned to her partner anticipating her answer.  
  
"Kino, I like that one. It makes me sound tough." Jupiter grinned wolfishly and continued. "And Merc…I'm torn. What about Midori or Makoto?" She looked down at the shy girl expectantly.  
  
"What about Makoto Kino. It has a ring to it, does it not?" Mercury cocked her head to the side as she thought. "Or Midori Kino, it doesn't have that sort of chime to it though. Stick with Makoto Kino, okay?" The blue-eyed guardian looked up at her companion.  
  
"Yeah, I like that. What did you pick for your name again?" Makoto's voice had a hint of laughter in it.  
  
"Ami Mizuno. But please be subtle about it, or we will be discovered." Mercury abruptly looked up, her sweet voice breaking off. A certain general had just appeared and was politely asking for the hand of a certain mercurien princess. Mercury was too excited to notice that another general was right behind, but Jupiter wasn't. Her sharp eyes caught sight of him and her whole face light up.  
  
"Nephie!" She exclaimed, jumping up and hugging him forcefully. She smiled into his soft shirt. He rested his head in her hair before breaking their embrace.  
  
"Nephie? Okay…would my fair lady like to dance? I'm afraid some important meetings came up tonight and we will have to change our previous engagement to a different time. Perhaps a dance would make you forgive me?" He held out his hand gingerly as she got to her feet, taking the extended hand.  
  
"I'd forgive you anyway. By the way, by new name is Makoto Kino." She started moving around in slow circles, turning to the music.  
  
"Mako, I like it. Of course where we're going it will be Mako-chan, but that will wait until later." Jupiter gave him a curious glance, before shrugging it off and continuing dancing. She never noticed how the dips got more frequent and how the lights seemed to dim as the moved around the room, it was just he…  
  
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Rei, we shall call her Rei now for that is what she is. She was not the graceful Martian princess who had grown up following rules and respecting those with higher classes, she was Rei, the firebird who had a mission; get revenge. She spotted her victim in the corner of the room, sulking as usual. She slowly moved towards him, making sure her very short fiery dress rode up just enough for him to see her thighs as she walked. She neared him and flipped her raven hair over her shoulder, sitting down next to Jadeite and crossing her legs. He was staring at her out of the corner of his eye, watching her every move. She pouted her lips making sure that her burgundy lipstick showed it's full extent. She looked at him trying to make herself seem seductive.  
  
She asked in a low purr "Come my dear general, I have a closet saved for us." She gave him her most coy smirk and rose, waiting to see if heart or hormones would win in this battle. He abruptly stood; grinning while a dangerous fire flickered in his eyes. Knowing he would follow her, she stepped out to the side of the ballroom where the guest's coats were kept. She stepped into the walk in closet like room and waited for him to follow. She slowly closed the door after her entered, and started to undress him. After she had thrown his shirt off, revealing muscular arms, she ripped his pants off, leaving two halves on the floor. She started coughing abruptly and excused herself to go get water.  
  
She knew he couldn't see her, so she put her plan into action. She picked up his shirt and the remnants of the pants. She opened and closed the closet door, making sure that he couldn't see what she was holding. This left a very anxious general to wait in the dark for a very sneaky mars princess in his socks, shoes, and underpants; while the conniving princess rushed off to throw his cloths away.  
  
After several minutes of waiting the general got impatient. He pulled out pen and sheet of paper from his sub space pocket and pulled on the light. The first thing he saw was that his cloths had vanished. The second thing he saw was that he was in the royalty's closet. The first thought that ran through his head was a simple way of summing up what his firebird had done to him. His conniving little firebird had left him in the royalties coat- closet…  
  
The second thought was not a very pleasant one. He knew that she would not be returning or she would have left his garments. That meant only one thing; he had to go through the ballroom in his undergarments to get dressed again. He was a general, not a senshi, and did not possess the power to teleport. While Malachite was the only general with teleportation abilities, he was the only general with illusion attributes. He wished he could switch with that other general at the moment. Then a thought struck him, he could make an illusion that he had cloths on. But, the senshi, queen and any other royalty would see through it with their natural talent of magic, along with the generals. He could stand their laughs, he thought rebelliously, closing his eyes and concentrating on an illusion of himself in his now shredded cloths.  
  
Seconds later he again had a shirt and pants on. He was losing power fast by holding up this illusion and rushed out the closet on a whim. The first thing he saw was Rei laughing at him and pointing her finger towards him while soon Jupiter joined in her giggles. Mercury tried to get back to her dancing, but the fact that a half-naked Jadeite was running towards the door was just too funny. She burst out laughing, alerting Zoisite that something was happening behind him. He whirled around to see Jadeite stalking the door and made a mental note to get that poor guy some cloths.  
  
Now, every royalty in the room was looking in the direction Jadeite had gone, snickering. Jadeite however was running full speed down the hallways to his room. He supposed it was half his fault for falling for Mars' tricks, but he still couldn't believe his firebird would do that to him. It then hit him what she had looked like at the marketplace earlier that day and as a sudden revelation figured out how embarrassed she must have been.  
  
He looked down ashamed to have thrown her into the fountain now that he knew the punishment and continued sprinting to his room. He threw the door open and rushed to his closet. He threw the closest cloths on and continued debating with himself whether he should have thrown her into the water or not.  
  
After a few hours of berating himself, his conclusion was no. He would not have wanted to miss seeing an angry firebird soaked in a white shirt, even if it meant that he had to run in front of a ton of royalty semi-naked.  
  
Rei sat on the benches in the crowd, hidden from his view, enjoying the show she had created for herself.  
  
She smiled; revenge was seriously sweet.  
  
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Queen Serenity watched in devastation as Jadeite ran in his boxers towards the ball door. She sighed. She watched Rei grinning sadistically and put two and two together. Children…  
  
A king of England approached her and she didn't have to do much to make herself look completely expressionless. The man was a tall one with short blond hair and beady dark brown eyes that could easily be mistaken for black. He reached the queen and bowed before her, while she nodded curtly wanting to watch the ball some more. She was only in her thirties; she deserved to be able to dance with someone. She let out another tired sigh. She watched her daughter out of the corner of her eye as Prince Endymion appeared out of nowhere and she propped herself up on one arm. She knew about their love for each other, but Phillip was the crown prince of earth. If something happened to him Endymion would be, but she didn't want to think about something happening to him. He was a real charmer, but not for her. She always valued marrying for love, but it had gotten her nowhere and she didn't want to see her daughter make the same mistake.  
  
Having your heart broken was very hard to live with. She had lost her father recently, and him being her only remaining parent she had been rather devastated by his death. Saturn had tried to reassure her that death always came with rebirth unless the soul was separated from the body at the time of death. She hoped that her mother and father were somewhere happy away from her own sorrows.  
  
Her husband, Eric was his name, had married her in a small little white church in a secluded area. One thing led to another, and she found herself being crowned queen and he king. While she ruled as fairly as possible, he just wanted 'an eye for an eye' as he put it. She at first found this to be a quite effective at first, and she occasionally used it in petty matters like arguments between siblings and such, but when her husband started using it for theft and murder, she became worried. Her people were dying, and off her husband's accord. Thieves she would make give back all they had stolen, apologize to who they had stolen it form, and if they had stolen five or more items, spend a month in her dungeons. Her husband on the other hand used continuous violence to make their people pay penance, and eventually he had to be killed for his poor judgment.  
  
Her people had gone on a rally, thirsting to see the man who had killed their friends and families exiled. In the end she had but one choice, and that meant to banish him from the moon kingdom. She had given the time guardian a message of her horrible situation and the father of time himself had come before her. He had told her that he could take the soul of her husband and put it in the future in another body where it held no mystical or political power. She had agreed, but it had cost her lover his life in the end. He had been forced to perform a sacred sacrifice, one only senshi and royalties used for its purposes. It removed the soul out of whoever was being sacrificed and then left their body without a dream mirror, heart crystal or starseed, much less power crystal. These were extracted and sent to the future to be placed in another body. Years later the skeleton of her former husband had appeared in her own prison mysteriously overnight.  
  
She never did like those dungeons and she didn't think anyone did. They were dark and cold and in the corner of them there was his skeleton. It always freaked the usually stoic queen out when she saw that skull. It had a symbol on its forehead, and she never even remembered someone having a mark like that. The planetary symbols were different, this one was… there was no other way of wording it. Eerie.  
  
It looked at first like a simple upside down moon which was darker then a regular mark. But, upon closer examination, the moon would be more then just upside down. It's edges almost touched in a sickly arch, and the color of it was far more then just dark. The color was jet black and it seemed to be radiating the power of evil even if it's carrier was gone. Every time you would step even close to that corpse you would feel yourself get weak like something was taking the energy right out of you…  
  
She dropped that train of thought and continued to gaze at the mass of swirling dancers. Her sharp eye picked out all of the senshi except for amber and Venus. The younger prince of earth had her other daughter clinging to his arm, smiling from ear to ear. It wasn't that she wanted her eldest daughter to be unhappy; it was just that Phillip was more important since by birthright he would assume the thrown. If Serenity married Phillip, there would be total planetary peace, but if she did not, the moon and earth would continue to be on bad terms. She let out a final exasperated sigh as she clapped her hands together drawing attention to herself as the room was silenced by an invisible wave of respect for their queen.  
  
She stood, facing her people with a small smile on her face. "I hope everyone had a lovely time at tonight's celebration. Tomorrow we will have another represented our recent alliance with the final opposing city on Jupiter." There was a dull jeer from the crowd of approval. "May everyone have a wonderful evening and sleep well." She let her smile widen a bit, signaling that the ball was over.  
  
The doors were thrown wide open as everyone in the room crammed themselves through like children running to the playground. She let a half grin play across her features as she watched the guests file out of the room. After everyone had left, she stood, briefly glancing around the room to see if anyone was still there. She almost didn't notice the elaborate design of the beautiful room. But, the elegant style and tasteful colors scattered around the room always caught her eye if even for just a moment.  
  
The regular room design was anything but normal. A high arched ceiling with different colored pillars connecting to each other in the middle of the ceiling. The room was dome-like in shape, with benches and chairs lining the walls for guests to rest in. During parties it was the ballroom, during conferences it was the meeting room, and every other time it was the place people came to lounge in. The walls were originally painted white, along with the floor, but tonight they were covered with shining pictures and carpets only adding to their loveliness. Nothing in the room seemed marred.  
  
There were round windows higher up in the room, with stained glass forming pictures of birds and angels somewhat crudely plastered together with bland colors and pastel tints. But, the thin glass rims were uneven, which is what was crudely mentioned before, but they were so thin that most likely no one could make them that unnoticeable without them a little bumped. Brilliantly colored curtains hung taught away from the lower windows, which were paned with clear glass. Smiling genuinely, Queen Serenity closed her eyes a moment and let the whole world fade.  
  
Her father's death, her daughters' love square, her obligations as a queen, her immense responsibility as the only person with total mastery over the silver crystal at that time, and her very being. She let them fade for just a second into the air. She had to take a deep steadying breath before opening her eyes again and trying not to fully glare at her surroundings. It wasn't that she blamed anyone for her life, but still…it was quite a harsh life.  
  
She turned from the room, preparing to teleport to the Neptunian Empire for as mercury had so gingerly put it 'reunion between old friends.' She liked Poseidon very much as her protector, king and as a friend. As a friend he was protective and fierce, but always understanding. His wife queen Eris was a compassionate friend but with a stubborn head. Pride before love was both of their policies. Their daughter was one of princess serenity's secret protectors. For several reasons. The crown princess hated being protected by so many people, and adding to that list would only make her more rebellious on the matter, she wanted to defend herself. The outer senshi were also forbidden to be spoken of unless they had let an outside intruder penetrate their careful eyes and enter the inner solar system. Another reason not to talk to her first daughter about them was because of fear for her reaction.  
  
She could explode and have a temper tantrum, but the queen doubted that. She could also sulk for weeks, which she also didn't want. She could accept the fact with a fake smile and secretly be disappointed in her mother for lying to her for so long about the inners being her only guardians. The only other option is that she would want to meet them and that was taboo.  
  
The inner senshi knew about the outer planetary senshi, mercury the most, but were forbidden to speak of them to serenity. Everyone had their secrets, and the queen thought these were petite compared to some of the inner senshi's secrets, and she only knew a few of their secrets.  
  
Poseidon had been her protector when she was younger and still training, and watched over her from Triton castle on Neptune. Named after the planet she was born on, Princess Neptune should be a mere child the queen presumed as she felt the familiar heat in her chest that meant the silver crystal was appearing. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on getting the mystic crystal to materialize. Soon, a blinding light penetrating her eyelids made her open them to see a slightly spinning crystal. She closed her eyes momentarily, and in a burst of dim white light, she vanished from the ballroom, and appeared in the Neptunian castle Triton. It was an entirely teal castle, with not one square inch without windows. Half of the windows showed swirling blue and green gases and water, while the other half gave you a clear view of the fathomless voids of space.  
  
She opened her eyes to see King Poseidon standing in front of her a huge grin plastered on his elderly face. She smiled back at him, each exchanging greeting as they started walking down the hall; queen gaining back her energy from the trip, and king enjoying being in her company once again.  
  
It really was a reunion between old friends.  
  
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Serenity stood by her balcony, in a small circle with the inner planetary senshi, Endymion and Amber. They spoke in hushed voices under the soft glow of the bluish ball hanging in the sky above them.  
  
"We have to leave, now! The guards check my room every fifteen minutes, and we've already spend ten getting everyone here." The blond princess looked around worried that she had been overheard for a moment then continued in her bell-like tone. She shot a half meaningful glance at Princess Venus and Amber. "Come, let us hold hands." Everyone in the circle grabbed hands with whomever happened to be standing next to them. "Now Endymion, you have to teleport us, the inner senshi will use their powers to channel into you and you just concentrate on our destination spot. Amber, you stand in the middle of the circle, and I will as well. We have to powers, so they will have to teleport us and our belongings along with theirs." She looked back at her room fondly, and then her eyes hardened as she stepped out of the circle of people and into the middle. "Okay, when I say commence, say 'sailor teleport' and focus your powers into Endymion."  
  
Everyone around her nodded as she clasped hands with Amber. "Sailor Teleport!" The almost silent night was now rent of peace as they shouted to the heavens. Mercury stood adjacent to Mars and Endymion as a faint blue glow enveloped her. Mars stood next to Jupiter and Mercury as a fiery red covered her, and a lime green for Jupiter. Venus, who was on the other side of Jupiter, was encased in a soft orange glow, and the prince of earth held a strong golden glow.  
  
Simultaneously, Amber and Serenity looked upwards closing their eyes as the lights shot up into the dark sky, and making a white shine trap both of them in the middle. It was not a cold stiff white light though, it was a soft warm light and neither of them struggled against it as they felt their bodies start to shiver from the power.  
  
One moment standing on the moon, the next, they were at a forest full of full-blossomed trees. The second they arrived, and the power faded, Princess Serenity felt an invisible but very mighty hand pushing her towards the ground. She have a surprised yelp she heard a sharp intake of breath around her while her friends each managed a startled 'princess!' She felt her knees buckle under the pressure that was now being applied to them, and she almost hit the ground, and if not for a fast and protective earth prince she would have. She looked up into his stormy eyes and smiled. How could he hold that pressure so easily like it was nothing? She struggled for a moment, and then managed to stand up straight for moment, before again starting to collapse under the invisible force.  
  
This time she flailed her arms out desperately fearing hitting the ground, and caught onto the someone's shoulder. The tall powerful Juperian senshi looked down in bemusement and then sighed, helping the princess to stand by leaning on her.  
  
"Where are we?" came a muffled sound from the ground. It was Amber, who everyone had forgotten in Serenity's rather loud shriek in falling. Six pairs of eyes looked down to see Amber standing up and grumbling about gravity as she stood up steadily. Unlike her sister this was her second visit to a planet of stronger gravitational pull than the moon. She glanced around and spotted Venus shaking slightly under the now amplified pressure, but shrugged her shoulders knowing that Venus had also visited earth before with her.  
  
The only reason Serenity had not gone was because she had gotten a rather nasty illness, but she would have gone even then if it had not been for her mother's keen eyes and care for her children.  
  
"We're in the groove of the water fairy's. Do you hear the stream nearby? They live there, and usually they would attack intruders as they do not like Terrian's much, but, we have our own water fairy to comfort them and tell them we don't mean to harm them." Endymion said as the circle shifted to Mercury, who was listening to an unknown voice on the air as she turned to her left and gave new meaning to an opera singer's high notes. She was saying something, but everyone near her was covering his or her ears from the piercing squeaks.  
  
Mercury started walking again and everyone removed their hands. "The water fairy's said they will give us refuge as long was we don't dry up their water spout or alert any nymphs of their whereabouts." She smiled knowingly. "They also said they wouldn't tell anyone we were there." A patch of tall weeds was just up ahead, and everyone watched as Mercury parted them to reveal a beautiful waterfall and shimmering river with exquisite trees and flowers everywhere. Serenity and Amber rushed forth, smelling every flower they reached and touching everything they could get their hands on, being careful not to break even the smallest leaf. This was a place that did not need words; the soft hum of wings was enough to make the place seem homely.  
  
The plant life was so much fuller here! Jupiter plucked a single blade of grass and sniffed it. Even the grasses scent was richer than it was on the moon. She looked around, the entire place lit with a new light in her eyes. She would have to find out how everything was so fertile here. She rushed off to see if it was the water or soil.  
  
Mars glanced around and picked several faults out immediately. One, no cleaning facilities. Two, no civilization, they would be all on their own. Three, those fairy's and their little beady blue eyes were starting to frighten her, not by their aura, but those little eyes made of seemingly water…  
  
Mercury took one look and proclaimed it paradise. Soft aqua glows signaled the water fairy's wings fluttering to keep them flying, and that reflected off the glistening water made the place even more radiant. Water every way you looked, and calming trees to relax near or in the shade of. Air thick with fresh flowers and little creatures of water greeting you and complimenting you everywhere. It was her heaven.  
  
Some others were more reluctant to accept all this though. Venus spotted several ways that intruders could easily sneak into their safe haven while they were resting and attack them while they slept unknowing. She rushed to a tree and snatched a leaf off throwing it into the air. When it blew south she went over to Endymion and consulted with him about where civilization was. He pointed north and she sighed in relief. They could easily stay here a few days, and they head up to the city and start their new lives.  
  
"Sere, what are we supposed to call you?" Endymion patted his beloved's head as she sucked in the fragrance of a lily. She was just so adorable when she did that! But he smashed that thought waiting for an answer.  
  
"Whatever you want, Endy." She looked up at him smiling radiantly.  
  
"Hmm…what about Usagi? That means bunny here." He smirked while she grinned not gaining the second meaning behind the name. Almost instantaneously she accepted the new name.  
  
"Okay! Hey guy's, my new names Usagi!" She called to her friends who were all separated around the small groove of trees. There were affirmative snickers and nods as she turned back to the white lily floating harmlessly in the stream.  
  
"Come along Usako, I to show you where I planned for you to stay. We should be there in a few days. He reached for her hand which she swiftly supplied as he led her up to the top of the waterfall, leaving their possessions behind them and being very cautious not to slip on the slick rock. When they reached the top, Serenity saw something that took Serenity's breath away.  
  
"T-th-thank you Endy!" Was all she could manage at the sight before her as she latched herself around his middle in an appreciative hug.  
  
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Next – What Serenity see that made her so happy? The girls set up their new lives and assume the position of occasionally rebellious villagers who happen to have mysterious connections with the generals and prince of earth and live quite mysterious lives. 


	5. A Price for Everything

AN: I'll try to make this short so you can go onto the story soon. Time is precious; I have none lately, and am getting less and less for the future. This is the unofficial final chapter of SR, until such a time that I can have more than five minutes a day to type. This story was planned to be the second in a group of stories, and still is, but until the FIRST story of this chronicle is written with 'the other white guy' *grins* and finished completely, I refuse to finish this story totally. It would totally spoil the ending for the first one! The first story will be one on Queen Serenity about the time Princess Serenity was born, and maybe a few years before.  
  
'Kay, now that that's all out, I don't own sailor moon, probably never will, wish I did, but don't while Takeuchi-san does, and.On with the story!  
  
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Unjust Seduction:: Price for Everything  
  
By: Kon Gyousano  
  
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Jaki Kurai had always been a rule-breaker. As a child he had disobeyed his parents orders, as a teen he had broken laws, and as an adult he tried as many risky activities as he dared. His chosen form of business at the moment: Select Robber. He wasn't just in it for the money; he was in it for the thrill, the adrenaline rush that came with doing something on a whim and knowing you would not only be paid to do the illegal, you would be all too happy to do it.  
  
Wiping off his saber so the blood staining it went onto the filthy rag in his hands, he looked down at his latest victim, a small fiery haired Venusian. It hadn't been too hard to get her alone, and the step-mother of this girl who gave him the salary had decided to give him a bonus if he could make it look like an accident. Deciding that he'd make it look like she fell, the brown-haired thief carefully dragged the girl over towards a nearby well. Dumping her small body near the well, the carefully placed a quill in the saber wound. There, done. She had been running, had tripped over the well's rope, and had gotten stabbed by the writing utensil.  
  
Right now he was in a rather small village on Earth, looking for a new paying customer seeking out his 'services'. Lately business had been with nobles stealing from less wealthy figures because of grudges or more complicated matters. Kurai didn't really care at all about the more difficult aspects of the relationships between the people he stole from and for. They were all the same to him, as long as they had money, he would gladly work for them.  
  
Lifting his greasy head, he looked at the surrounding villagers. They were just common people, who would never get anywhere important in life, while he would be living it large off the money of others. Sneering at an elderly woman who bumped into him, he threw her aged arm off him and pushed her into the dirt. Looking down his nose at her, he scoffed dust into her face as he walked away. His stride held arrogance and a sort of condescending step to it, giving him the overall appearance of a conceited man.  
  
He had fought people to injure them, assassinated people, tortured people, stolen, trespassed, and raped people of ages. His mindset was that as long as the pay was high enough, and the job not suicidal, he would do just about anything.  
  
From his left, a man in all black stepped out into the daylight, bowing shortly to Kurai. Kurai was about to spit out some vicious comment about the man getting in his way, when said figure silently held out a rather large beige coin bag.  
  
Greedy emerald eyes locked onto the pouch filled to the bursting point with jingling money. A raspy voice plagued by years came from the chapped lips of Kurai in a question that sounded meager to him, and desperate to his new employer. "What d'ya want?"  
  
The pale lips of the stranger quirked up at the edges, as he drew from his cloak a infinitely deep crystal ball which glowed a sickening array of dark colors around the edge. Shifting his arms so that one hand held the orb, he gazed into the globe and an image appeared of a rather large group dressed in cloths that would immediately label them nobles. The reply to the former question came out in a voice that sounded unnaturally deep to Kurai, "Kidnap the couple, and any of the other's you can." He placed the coin bag into the robber's hands without waiting for a response.  
  
Snorting derisively, the green-eyed thief looked from the money to the mysterious figure like he was crazy. "Seven 'gainst one? An' look! The man's armed! I'd go down 'fore I even got 'a chance ta touch 'em! I'd need at least.nine otha's to help mah." Instantly a group surrounded the shadowed figure, each armed with at least three different weapons, and all nine bowing.  
  
"I want those two unharmed! The other's you may do as you please with." Turning on his heel, the cloaked figure left an astounded criminal with a wicked smile on his hideous face and nine bandits bowing their heads respectfully to their new leader.  
  
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Beryl hurled an entirely red vase across the room, taking whatever small pleasure she could out of the shattering sound the broken glass made. Screaming angrily, she began to pace the room she was confined to for the time being. Metallia was such a witch! She wanted to have Endymion not Onyx! How could Metallia even think she would sit through a sharing of souls ceremony with that bastard! Well, the shadow power was an enticing offer, but not if she was stuck with such an ass of a husband. She would not, COULD not, share souls with Onyx.  
  
However, what would happen if she were to wait it out, and destroy Onyx sometime after the ceremony, and before she got Endymion?  
  
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Onyx had officially decided; that redheaded bitch needed to go. Screw marrying that clawed slut, he wanted glory for his own purposes, and he didn't intend to go through someone else to get it. He would simply kill Beryl while she slept, and make it seem like an accident. Metallia wouldn't mind, she loved death and destruction. Now, the only problem was how to destroy the both of them.  
  
Maybe if he sent one of his shadow minions to do the job? Yes, that could work.  
  
He smirked, that would work.  
  
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Usagi gazed at the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on; for once ignoring the warm body she was embracing. A small yet ornate cottage was beside a vast lake, which was glimmering gold in the fading light of the sun. Large oaks surrounded the bungalow and an intricate garden was placed in the front of the tiny house, with small buds of different flowers already showing in it. To the right of the shimmering lake was a small valley where the trees were scarce and a few rabbits and birds were still playing in the dim light of dusk. A smile of complete bliss graced her features, as she looked at the lovely setting before her.  
  
"What is this place?" She said in a soft but awed voice. This place smelled strongly of flowers and the wind was carrying the scent of water from the lake.  
  
"This is our new home," He looked down at the angelic figure beside him, staring around amazed at the simples yet elegant area he had chosen to built a house for the senshi and their princess to stay in.  
  
"Thank you! Will you be staying with us? Will you come visit us sometimes? How much-" He shushed her with a single rose grazing her mouth. She looked up at him and away from the landscape, noting bemusement flicker through his stormy eyes and she wondered briefly what he was thinking about.  
  
Meanwhile, a dark-haired prince was fighting an inner battle with whether to replace the flower with his mouth, or to just pull it away and hold her. He chose the latter, and she gazed starry-eyed at the scenery as the final burst of color from the golden sun covered the landscape, than disappeared over the horizon, and the fading colors of sunset played across the area.  
  
Deciding it was the perfect time, where nobody would see them, the crown prince bent over towards his love while she looked up at him curiously. Time froze over and the world became a blend of everything around them swirling into a jumbled mess as their lips met. Light and darkness, peril and peace, joy and anger combined into one huge mass of power being transferred through each of them.  
  
Dimly aware of the cooing noises of people in the background, clapping, and a whistle, Serenity opened her eyes. Her guardians were around her, and beside them. "Guys!" she squealed, looking at the new joiners of their party. It was none other than the guardians of Jupiter, each named after one of the planet's moons.  
  
They had three leaders among them who settle small disagreements and represented the whole pack of them at times like this. Io stepped forward, hugging Serenity as she did, along with Leda and Ganymede. "What are you doing here?" Serenity inquired, shooting a short but suspicious glance at Jupiter who held up her hands innocently.  
  
Io smiled and stepped away from the princess bowing low and then replying lightly. "We came to see how long before Jupiter.. I mean Makoto starts guy- hunting." Io grinned sheepishly and brushed a stray pink hair out of her face, explaining in a calm serious voice, "Actually we came to make sure nothing dangerous happens to our favorite princess."  
  
Makoto made a noise of half-anger half-amusement and turned her back on them, head held high. Ganymede patted her shoulder, silently reassuring her that they still pledged this lives to Jupiter, but Serenity was higher in terms or royal status so they had to be very cautious of what they said.  
  
Suddenly Leda looked up sharply, along with Endymion. Looking around, they realized too late what had caused their panic.  
  
The sound of rushing air came all too soon, as dozen upon dozen arrows were fired at the group. Endymion unsheathed his gleaming blade with added effect of a sliding medal against metal noise.  
  
Swinging the sword around in front of the group, only three arrows out of at least four dozen made it through, and two of them hit the ground. Leda though, wasn't so fortunate.  
  
Letting out a high yelp of pain, she clutched her shoulder, where blood was already seeping through her fingers. The black-feathered end of an arrow protruded at an odd angle out of her arm. Closing mint colored eyes filled with pain, she ground her teeth together as the pain drove her to her knees. If she could just call on her guardian powers and transform.Picturing a tall green serpent-like creature with soft green scales lining it's shoulder less body, she felt herself begin to take on her second form.  
  
All planetary princess guardians were given the power of transformation. The princess would of course receive it too, but they had to learn to use their senshi abilities to the fullest before they would be able to take on their animalistic forms.  
  
Leda looked at her shoulder through tearing eyes, and slowly removed as much of the arrow as she dared. Feeling the scales starting to cover her body, she quickly let go and focused more on her transformation. In a flourish of transparent pink wind, a tiny snake took up the area a girl had just occupied, leaving beside it a bloodied arrow. Blackness was blurring her vision fast, and Leda decided she only could do one more thing to aid the battle going on around her. Hissing quietly, she sent out the last of her power to Jupiter, giving her the boosted senshi attack ability.  
  
Closing her slit-eyes she hissed one final time and let her second body surrender to the pain of the arrow.  
  
Meanwhile, a hoard of bandits had appeared out of nowhere and was attacking the senshi, unsuspecting of their powers. When Endymion drew his sword to their arrows, they quickly grabbed their daggers and sabers and lunged into the clearing. Io quickly her pulled her triple bow taught, pulling three golden arrows from her quiver. With aim and grace unlike any human, she shot down the first of the three bandits with her eyes filled with a stinging hate.  
  
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A dark shadow hovered in the trees a short distance away from the battle scene, taking everything in. The man with the sword and shield bearing the crest of the royal family, the girl with the royal hairstyle of the moon kingdom and angelic features, and the girls all huddled around the two. Sizing up the situation, the mysterious figure leapt off the tree and into the forming black mist.  
  
A feral laugh escaped his lips as the figure looked back once more, before being completely enveloped by the rising darkness.  
  
The master would be most pleased with this new information; those bandits had turned out useful after all. Too bad they were going to die in a matter of seconds.  
  
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The senshi looked up abruptly as they felt a tiny pang of dark energy being used. Giving the area a quick second-glance, they all noticed the same thing out of place. The fairies had stopped shrieking. Mercury looked up suddenly as one fairy let out a tiny squeak-like wail.  
  
Catching snatches of what the little creature was trying to say, Mercury's eyes filled with dread. Frantically the usually calm girl screamed in as loud a voice she could muster, "GET DOWN!"  
  
On senshi instinct everyone dropped to the ground instantly, while Endymion grabbed Serenity by the waist and dove for the ground. A small explosion went off seconds later, and the senshi covered their faces to try and keep the rising smoke out. When they looked up and through singed hair, they saw what they feared most. Io, Leda and Amber seemed to have been thrown twenty feet back and knocked unconscious, a small crater covered the area they had occupied, while Endymion, Mars, and Serenity were nowhere to be seen.  
  
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Rei woke up to pounding in her skull, and ringing in her ears, not to mention the taste of wet mud in her mouth. Slowly sitting up so she didn't disturb the tiny dwarfs with axes in her head, she spat out whatever mud she could.  
  
Ebony lashes hesitantly blinked open to reveal dazed violet eyes, but quickly slammed shut because of the bright light. Blinking rapidly to reduce the searing whiteness, her pupils adjusted to the lighting of wherever she was.  
  
Once she could fully open her eyes, her mouth parted in silent awe. All around her were pictures of some sort, but they each held a different image. The ones nearest her were varied from three-dimensional, to cartoons, to moving. Looking around the room, she spotted another figure face down in the room. And hair that black wasn't easy to find, so her instant guess was Endymion!  
  
Stumbling over to where he was, she reached out and shook him. Why were they asleep? Trying to recall what happened before she fell asleep, she vaguely recalled a high-pitched wailing, screaming, and then blackness. Maybe Endymion would remember better.  
  
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The first thing the young prince of earth thought when he woke was that he could do with nice long shower. His armor was caked in dry mud, and coated with dust. Abruptly he remembered the battle, and.Serenity! Where was she? Looking around franticly, he noticed Rei untransformed hovering over him, shaking him-probably in some attempt to wake him up. Jumping up he immediately sat back down with his head in his hands. What a head rush! Scanning the sort of non-walled prison he was in, he noted the strange images, but ignored them until his eyes came to rest on an all-too pale hand atop a mass of gold.  
  
Years of warrior training told him that if he attempted to stand again, he would most likely only succeed in falling over again. Deciding that crawling would work, he carefully made his way towards Princess Serenity.  
  
Grasping her delicate wrist in his palm he pulled a curtain of golden- colored silk out of her face. She looked so peaceful just lying there, but the lessons he had learned about falling asleep after a hard hit weren't reassuring.  
  
Reaching out with mental fingers, he checked to make sure she wasn't slipping into a catatonic state. Assured that she could sleep for a little while longer without any serious threat to her health, he contented himself with setting her halfway into his lap and stroking her hair.  
  
The raven-haired Martian came up beside him and checked the vitals of her ward's physical state. Once she was done, she too leaned back in relief and looked around the room in wonder. "Where do you think we are?"  
  
Continuing to twirl strands of gold between he didn't bother looking up before replying "A few days away from the Elysion." He glanced up at Rei to see the surprised look on her face and let out a short chuckle before quieting it so he wouldn't disturb the sleeping girl on his lap.  
  
The priestess looked at him strangely before asking what nagged at her, "How would you know where we are?"  
  
Endymion sighed heavily; he had hoped she wouldn't bother asking about that. Matters such as soul bonds, slave bonds, senshi bonds, and planetary bonds confused him a little, and were a sacred matter to top it off, one of the reasons he didn't like discussing them with anyone but Serenity.  
  
"We don't have time for this Mars, we need to get out of here, before something else happens." He slowly got up, holding Serenity to him as if she were water, ready to slip through his fingers and break into a million droplets. His eyes blurred for a moment, before coming back into focus from the strain of supporting two people after such a hard hit to the head.  
  
"This is sacred soil-" he began only to be interrupted by a rather unbecoming snort.  
  
"More like mud.but go on." Rei encouraged, pulled out her henshi pen to transform. "Mars Star Power, Make up!" In a burst of flamboyant flames, rings collected to make a fuku, and eventually form seamless fabric of Sailor Mars' outfit. Not bothering to strike a pose, the psychic priestess waited for him to continue.  
  
"And these pictures are holy. Whatever they are, they are not meant to be here. Can you feel the strained tension in this room? These were stolen, or most likely produced by some means not of this earth. We need to get these out of here, or at least as many as we can. If we took them to Elysion, we could have the shrine maidens keep them safe. Although it's at least two days journey, we would be protected there from whatever brought us here." He paused for a moment to look down at the closed lids of Serenity.  
  
"No matter what, we have to protect Serenity."  
  
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AN: HA! Everyone else is writing cliffhangers lately, so I thought I'd join in the fun! This isn't much of a cliffy I know, but oh well! I never did like cliffhangers. Again, this is the last chapter I'll be posting for a while, until the other white guy helps me with the story before this one. Beg him to come online more often if you see him! *coughs* Tristram *coughs* So, if you see him, or the Kon-hunter, gladly point them in my direction, I need their help sometime this century!! ~*Kon*~ 


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